Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Almond Brittle
Submitted by chochoman1
Flourless chocolate cake with espresso and a shard of homemade chocolate almond brittle on top. Dense, fudgy, and gluten-free, the kind of cake you serve warm with a fork.
YIELD
1 CakePREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsFlourless chocolate cake is the ultimate dinner-party trick: it looks like a bakery centerpiece, it’s gluten-free by nature, and it tastes like the richest chocolate mousse ever baked. This version leans on 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, a dose of espresso powder to deepen the cocoa flavor, and whipped egg whites folded in for a lift that keeps the cake from turning brick-dense.
The crown is a shatter of chocolate almond brittle, just melted chocolate spread on foil, showered with toasted almonds, chilled, and broken into jagged shards. It’s the two-minute garnish that makes everyone think you ran a pastry shop on the side.
Baking, chilling, then re-warming is the secret to the silky interior. Cold collapses the cake into its dense, truffle-like texture, and the second warm-up brings it back to life just before serving.
Pro Tips
- Wrap the springform pan tightly with foil. Even a small leak at the seam burns butter onto the oven floor.
- Beat whites to firm peaks, not dry, dry whites deflate when folded in and leave streaks.
- Fold in two additions, gently. Deflating the whites is how you end up with a short, gummy cake.
- The cake will sink and crack as it cools, that’s correct. Don’t panic.
- Slice the warm brittle with a hot knife if you want cleaner edges, or break by hand for rustic shards.
Variations
- Swap almonds for toasted hazelnuts or pistachios in the brittle.
- Stir a tablespoon of Grand Marnier or dark rum into the cake batter with the melted chocolate.
- Dust with cocoa powder and serve with softly whipped cream and fresh raspberries for a restaurant-style plate.
Ingredients
Directions
For Brittle: Line 13×9×2-inch baking pan with foil.
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth.
Pour chocolate into prepared pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle almonds over chocolate.
Refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Break brittle into irregular shapes.
For Cake: Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾ inch-high sides.
Line bottom with parchment. Wrap ouside of pan with foil.
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.
Using elecric mixer, beat butter and ⅓ cup sugar in large bowl to blend.
Mix in cornstarch, espresso powder and salt.
Beat in egg yolds, 1 at a time. Mix in melted chocolate.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl with ⅓ cup sugar until stiff but not dry.
Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Transfer to prepared pan.
Bake cake until set and tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes.
Cool cake completely on rack (cake may fall and appear cracked).
Refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Bake cake uncovered just until warm, about 20 minutes.
Cut around cake to loosen. Release pan sides. Cut warm cake into wedges. Garnish with pieces of brittle and serve.
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